garnish

OK, I am about half-way through Steinbeck's East of Eden. I love it. This man, Steinbeck, he was a genius I think.

I have not read everything he's written - not even all his famous works. Not even The Grapes of Wrath. I read Of Mice and Men when I was in ninth grade, and I loved it. There was the obvious - a man looking after his less-able brother - that struck home with me. But I had read all sorts of those glib novels written for teenagers going through rough stuff, so that was less important. The writing itself just turned me inside out. I was crying when I finished reading, and not just because of Lenny's fate.

But now East of Eden is a whole new level. There is a lot of depth, and good insight into men. Not so much women... simplistic, decipherable characters as opposed to rich or deep. He finds it easy to dismiss his women. So that disappoints me. For his time, I suppose he was alright... not actually racist, even if his language is. Or, if he is racist, it is not to the degree that one race is better than another. But if we're allowed to put aside things like ideology and isms, and focus only on writing, then he is a genius.

We had the big dinner tonight for everyone involved in education in town. As always, a big buffet, not potluck this time. Never enough food - no mashed potatoes or stuffing or gravy left for the last quarter of people. I won at Musical Chairs. And I haven't even played for 15 years! Not bad!! I won thirty bucks.

I had an interesting discussion with Pepe on the walk back from the card game tonight about parenting, only children, intentional single parents and the like. It was a good conversation. Has to do with the book, too. It's got me thinking about rivalry and the intrinsic parts of a person's character. I think I could be persuaded to give up children except I'm curious... who would my children be?